NASCAR returns to track in Nashville
After a week off, the NASCAR Cup Series is back.
The Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway begins at 7 p.m. Sunday, and fans can catch the race on NBC — the first race broadcast of the season for the network.
Here’s a quick rundown of what you need to know before Sunday’s Cup race.
1. Noah Gragson is making his return from injury. The driver of the No. 42 car for Legacy Motor Club missed the run at Sonoma earlier this month after suffering from concussion-like symptoms. The 24-yearold driver was cleared to race on Wednesday, per his race team, and NASCAR has granted Gragson a playoff waiver.
2. Stewart-Haas Racing has found its driver of the future. This news won’t impact Sunday’s race, but it’ll certainly affect the future of the Cup Series: SHR announced that Josh Berry will run in the No. 4 Ford next year, replacing the legendary Kevin Harvick in 2024 and beyond. This news is a good reminder to take stock of SHR’s performance thus far this year: Harvick is fifth in the points standings — and has come crushingly close to a win — but the rest of the SHR stable is nowhere near the 16driver playoff cut-line. Ryan Preece is at 25th. Aric Almirola sits 26th. And Chase Briscoe, after a devastating penalty after the Coke 600, languishes in 31st.
3. Joe Gibbs Racing strikes a major deal. Josh Harris, the future owner of the NFL’s Washington Commanders, made a substantial financial investment in Joe Gibbs Racing, per reports from earlier this week. Harris is doing so via an ownership group called Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment — led by billionaires Harris and David Blitzer. In addition, owner of JGR and former Washington NFL coach, Joe Gibbs, will become a limited partner in HBSE, pending approval by the NBA and NHL. In short: One of the biggest race teams in NASCAR just found a new revenue stream — and that spells possibility.
4. Can Chase Elliott steal a win? The Cup playoffs are still months away, but it’s worth taking a glance at the playoff picture: 10 drivers have notched wins and thus cemented their spots in the postseason. That leaves six slots open for drivers to get in on points at the moment. But who else can steal a win and shake up the standings before the regular season ends in late August? The one guy who almost certainly will is Elliott — and he might even do so this week.